The story begins: a thread for rising seniors

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>Hi all,
Thought I would add my handle to the thread, as my D is a rising senior. Been infrequently posting and actively lurking for a while; first on other parts of the board for my D who just completed her freshman year at Loyola Maryland (and loves it), and for the past couple for my D who’s search will be much more complicated because for lots of reasons, including that she’s a theatre nut! </p>

<p>Random thoughts:</p>

<p>After lurking I know D will have several decisions to make before she comes up with a working list, and she’ll also need non-audition and audition schools. But first, she’ll have to decide if she is an actor who can sing, or a singer who can act. She enjoys MT but is afraid it may be too narrow, and she is also interested in many aspects of theatre including lighting, design etc. It would seem that the BA in theatre studies with a performance track would be a good choice. However as strong as she is in history, English, writing and those types of courses, she has awful grades in math and science, and getting through a large core requirement could sink her. She just isn’t interested in working in those classes, and more of it on the next level in areas that are weak for her makes no sense. So maybe more of a conservatory approach would be a better fit. She took the PSAT last fall with average results, and her math tutor has advised to wait for next fall for the SAT tries so he can bring her up to speed over the summer. (This would have panicked me two years ago, but older D scored so much higher on her last SAT try, which I didn’t think was worth it, by the way, that I have decided I don’t know what I am talking about when it comes to testing :slight_smile: So the short version is the academically high standard schools aren’t on even the “reach” list for my D. </p>

<p>We live in the Boston area and honestly, D isn’t sure about how close or far she would like to be. She’s more interested in the type of program. Being close would be nice through, so we could catch some productions.</p>

<p>She’s continuing her voice lessons, summer theatre at her school and community children’s theatre group, and an internship somewhere in our area this summer, which may give her more insight to the behind the scenes aspects. After reading this thread, I think it would be a good idea for her to begin a time line for the next few months, as she’s not the most organized person, to prepare for applications, monologues, auditions etc.</p>

<p>Well that’s it. I do have a list we’ve worked on, but I am interested to see how others are forming their lists and suggestions. Looking forward to paying more attention here now that the time for action is approaching. Cheers!</p>

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<p>Welcome, Spongemom! Sounds like we have a lot in common, including the older D doing college the “regular” way.</p>

<p>We’ll all have a pretty exciting year. Glad we can do this together.</p>

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<p>Spongemom: my D just graduated from Syracuse with a MT BFA. If her musical skills are strong, I would very much encourage her to go the MT route. It doesn’t limit your options, it expands them. Her classmates who have not developed their vocal and dance skills are finding it more difficult to find audition opportunities, especially in the area of live theater.<br>
At many schools, including Syracuse, acting students and MT students take the same core acting classes. The only difference is that MT students have additional training in singing and dance. In her four years at SU, my D appeared in both musicals and straight plays, with lead roles in both areas. This summer she’s appearing in her first 2 professional roles, one musical and one non-musical. I feel that her training will allow her to be more flexible in future years.</p>

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<p>As a Syracuse MT alum who now coordinates a BA MT program, I second onstage’s comments… While at Syracuse I performed in both musicals and plays. This continued post graduation… first jobs out of school were performing roles in Shakespeare. I felt that my training allowed me to feel confident auditioning for all genres of theatre as well as film and TV work. </p>

<p>The students in the BA MT program where I now teach also perform in plays and musicals, and take all acting classes together. Post grad students are performing in both plays and musicals… on TV… etc… one is actually just finishing up her first year in an MFA acting program in NYC. </p>

<p>It is important to look at the curriculum at all schools… not just the required courses, but also find out what electives in the major students may take. This also will help get a sense of the kind of training offered in a program… not all BAs are alike… nor are all BFAs</p>

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<p>I’m a current High School Junior, and like many who have posted before me, aspire to earn a BFA, more in music theatre than straight drama. However, I’m still adding straight theatre schools to my audition list. </p>

<p>My deal is that I want to do everything. I’ve never been happy only doing one thing. I live for theatre, as well as playing and attending sports games, and social events. I’m leaning towards a more “traditional” college campus rather than an Urban campus such as NYU. </p>

<p>It’s nice to know I’m not the only one out here stressing out already. Haha.</p>

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<p>aemason - welcome! Have you read the long archived thread at the beginning of this forum? It has a lot of great information. I think on page 8 there is a list of schools.</p>

<p>Does it matter where you want to be in the country? I see you’re from Chicago. The performing arts college fair will be in Chicago in Chicago. It has a great range of schools.</p>

<p>Best wishes, and congratulations on being almost a senior!</p>

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<p>Emkolb - One thing we’ve learned is that there are some well-regarded BFA acting programs at schools that are otherwise not that selective. At some of these schools (DePaul for sure, BU I think) if your GPA is at the top end of the curve for their applicants you may be eligible for substantial merit-based $$.</p>

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<p>Emkolb - Re: my last post about merit scholarships - Emerson is definitely in that group.</p>

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<p>Just re-read my post. The performing arts college fair will be in Chicago in OCTOBER. See the link a few posts up.</p>

<p>My D now has 2 speaking parts in summer shows! One is very small, but that’s because it overlaps with the other one. She is very excited! She has a few other theater opportunities before school starts as well. In a few days we’ll also be done with the HS fall show auditions. Then we can finally organize the rest of the summer and start planning for fall. </p>

<p>She was much more excited about the June ACT and SAT2 when we signed up for them last month … but soon they’ll be done and she can focus on the more meaningful parts of her applications.</p>

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<p>Onetough- Thanks for the info! As I’m really considering what I want I’m discovering that I either want a BFA with considerable room for academics (such as Minnesota/Guthrie or NYU) or a well-respected BA (Fordham or Temple). I think I’d be unhappy in a school that was not academically selective or in a program where 90-95% of my classes would be in theatre. So I partly want to avoid schools where my academic profile isn’t exactly in line with the rest of the student body. </p>

<p>Out of curiosity, does this sound like Boston U and Emerson? How intensive are either of their programs?</p>

<p>Also, I’m taking the SAT IIs next weekend. I got my SAT results and did average on the math (550) but pretty stellar on the reading (750) and writing (690). Of the programs that look at SAT scores (are there any?), will they essentially ignore my Math score anyway? I’m trying to decide if I should re-take the SATs next year.</p>

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<p>yes, you definitely should take the SATs again! Study for the math and you will definitely get that score up. Most schools superscore, and for some of the schools on your list (NYU for sure) the stats matter. I wonder why you don’t have Northwestern on your list? Sounds to me like you’d have a shot there, if you got your math up.</p>

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<p>Emkolb, Boston University is relatively academically selective as a whole. There are lots of very bright kids there. The College of Fine Arts is less academically selective, but very selective with regard to its auditioned programs such as the School of Theatre. If you choose the Acting track within the BFA program at the end of freshman year, you would have few classes other than theatre.</p>

<p>If you choose the Theatre Arts track, you have fewer classes in Acting, but more in other aspects of theatre. In Theatre Arts, you could do a minor unassociated with theatre if you want.</p>

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<p>emkolb - I really appreciate how you’re thinking through what you need and want. This is a harder kind of list to make than with academic-only college searching; there are so many combinations of selectivity, with ranges academically and by audition, including no audition at all.</p>

<p>Everyone here is deciding how to define what’s “OK” with them. I’m thrilled that you have the confidence in your academic stats to go for highly selective schools, where you’ll feel intellectually comfortable with your peers. That’s an important thing to know about yourself. I agree that your first list was pretty “reachy” in terms of audition selectivity, but I also agree that many of the less reachy audition schools tend to be less selective academically. This has been a very important consideration for us, too, although my D doesn’t have the stats for most tippy-top schools.</p>

<p>I would say that it wouldn’t hurt to find a BFA whose audition is less selective (repeating what is often said here that no audition is a “safety”), so that you can feel confident that you will have a BFA option when it is time to choose. You can get advice here, if you can’t always find the acceptance rates for lesser-known schools. </p>

<p>I also think you are wise in understanding that for you, if you don’t get into a highly selective BFA, a BA at a more academically selective school might be best for you, because of your overall intellectual needs. You’ll find a lot of reassurance here that those kinds of BAs are very well-respected. Also, don’t forget that there is always an MFA down the road if you feel that you need the “fine arts” degree after all.</p>

<p>I second the recommendation for Northwestern. I’m sorry I’m not a great source for recommendations for the less-selective auditioned BFA schools. The ones we’ve found do tend to be much less academically selective - it’s nice to think kids with GPAs over 3.5 and good test scores can be confident about getting in academically, and getting merit aid or being placed in the honors college, but we, too, are wondering about the intellectual atmosphere.</p>

<p>One BFA school with lower academic standards made her list because she really liked how the theater program was designed, and because she liked the people so much, not only the students we met but also the director of the program and the general feeling around the department. My D is willing to do “what it takes” to work hard in theater, but she feels that her best place would have a supportive, “family” feel.</p>

<p>While some people feel only those who are driven and ambitious, and who seek the most presitigous credentials attainable, will make it in this field, I feel that following one’s heart and attending to one’s personal needs is most important to be a “success.” I look forward to hearing about your journey this year. Good luck with the end of your school year!</p>

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<p>Definitely!</p>

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<p>Emkolb – schools to look at (some have already been mentioned):</p>

<p>BA - American U., University of MD, Muhlenberg, SUNY New Paltz, James Madison U., Northwestern, UCLA, Indiana, Boston College.</p>

<p>BFA – Boston University, Minnesota/ Guthrie, University of Evansville, NYU, Syracuse, Ithaca.</p>

<p>Both BA and BFA – USC, Emerson.</p>

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<p>Forgot Temple and Fordham – BA programs you already mentioned.</p>

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<p>Wow! Thanks everyone for the input. This board is incredible.</p>

<p>Emmybet, I used to have 1 or 2 non-competitive BFAs on my list from schools close to home but I removed them because I decided I would rather go to Temple than a non-selective BFA. The most tempting thing about getting a BFA is that it would be far easier to go to New York, get an agent, and begin working than with a BA. A BFA degree from a school that wasn’t very prestigious I don’t think would mean much to me. As much as University of Minnesota or NYU totally feels like a perfect dream to me, I can sometimes get just exciting considering that I would be able to double major at Temple in Spanish and even spend a year in Latin America with their exchange program. </p>

<p>Furthermore, I’ve noticed that a lot of the prestigious grad programs (the two I remember being Juilliard and NYU) with student who had gotten a BA from Temple. I think I would be very happy if I didn’t get into any of the audition programs I’m looking at. Fordham would be a similar situation but, with the audition (not to mention price), it’s a bit more a of a reach for me. </p>

<p>A reason why Northwestern isn’t on my list is that I want to be right in the city (I know it’s very close to Chicago, but I want to be IN a city, not just near one) and I’ve heard they aren’t terribly generous with aid. I may still apply but I haven’t considered it too heavily because of those reasons. The city thing is why I haven’t looked too hard at Syracuse though I think I will end up applying for Syracuse because I will likely be able to go for free through tuition exchange (they report that they give TE scholarships to 90-100% of applicants in the school).</p>

<p>Even with my list being much shorter than I thought it would be, I’m finding I am very happy with it. Also, I’m going to University of Minnesota’s Stage Elements program and I’m hoping it will help guide me in the right direction and learn things about myself and whether or not a BFA (or theirs, even) is right for me. </p>

<p>Kat, that’s very helpful. I’m definitely considering adding SUNY New Paltz and Syracuse to my list, as well as BU and Emerson.</p>

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<p>Just to point out a contradiction, emkolb, SUNY New Paltz is not near a major city nor is Syracuse. Northwestern is much closer to a major city, actually, Chicago is blocks away from parts of Evanston.</p>

<p>Also, there is no factual support for your comment that it will be easier to get an agent with a BFA than a BA. The discussions of BA vs BFA are all over CC, you need to choose which works best for you and that will enhance your chances of success upon graduation.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>The difference between Syracuse and SUNY New Paltz and Northwestern is that I can afford them. I might be willing to attend a school further from a city, though I’d rather not. North has a lot stacked against it in terms of what I want in a school, others have less. I’m thinking about this, don’t worry.</p>

<p>And all information that I’ve recieved has suggested to me that it is easier to work as an actor with a BFA. The degree is a professional degree by definition, whereas a BA often calls for more training. As I’ve spoken to my teachers about what I’m planning to pursue in school, that was one of the complaints of those with BAs, that they did think they would have been able to work more with a BFA. It’s not the deciding factor for me, but it is a major consideration.</p>

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<p>Findschool would disagree given the information he/she’s been given: “We are over and over hearing theater pros say “get the BA” for candidates to be well rounded.”</p>

<p>My goal is not to disagree with you but to open your mind and to point out that it is strictly an opinion (BA vs BFA) and there is evidence on both sides of the spectrum. The one thing you will learn, should you pursue this career, is that there is no correct path but many different routes to your dream.</p>

<p>As far as additional training - that is required regardless of what you study. Any actor will tell you that.</p>

<p>Have you considered SUNY Purchase? It’s a state school that has a very well respected BFA program (audition) and is about 30 minutes to NYC.</p>